Evaluating Schools

Will your child be going to high school in a few years? Are you considering the academic options available in your local public and private schools? If so, then I recommend that you take this IB quiz. It will help you decide which is the best college prep approach for your child.

In education, one size does not fit all because children learn differently. Some children do well in a school offering a curriculum centered around Advanced Placement courses and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation. Others thrive in the non-traditional educational experience that progressive schools offer. Some children find that the International Baccalaureate program's substantial academic experience is the right option for them. Your answers to the following questions will help you make the right decisions about your child's academic future and preparation for college.

Why should I consider a boarding school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Diploma Programme?

You should consider sending your child to a boarding school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Programme or IB as it is affectionately called. First of all, you have decided that you want your child to learn how to do serious academic work in high school so that she is well-prepared for the rigors of tertiary-level academic work. Secondly, you are uncomfortable with the idea of her only learning how to do well on tests. Thirdly, you want her to develop superior writing and research skills.

Where is the IB Diploma Programme offered?

Most American public and private high

New York Times columnist Frank Bruni has written a very useful book about college admissions entitled Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania. As you can see from the title, Bruni's audience is parents and possibly students who are considering and applying to college. Yet, as I read the book, I began to see many similarities between private K-12 school admissions and college admissions. I suggest that you read this book, which will clarify your thinking as you go through the process of selecting a private school for your child. Bruni's insights will also prepare you for the months and years ahead when you and your child will be dealing with the mysteries of college admissions. In the meantime, let's look at some of the things about college admissions that Frank Bruni points out, which are remarkably similar to what we will find in private school admissions.

Treatment of legacies

Affirmative Action for the Rich: Legacy Preferences in College Admissions by Richard D. Kahlenberg and The Price of Admission by Daniel Golden are two additional books about legacy admissions. These authors go into great detail and cite many sources to support their arguments.

What is a legacy? A legacy is an applicant to a school who has a relative or relatives who attended the same school. You will find legacies in both private K-12 schools as well as at the college level. Kahlenberg and Golden

As you work through choosing the right boarding school for your child, you will find it easy to get side-tracked. Nothing wrong with getting side-tracked. Just make sure that you get yourself back on track. There are three to five schools for you to visit. Lots of observations, evaluations, assessments, and questions. Make sure that you have checked all the boxes.

1. Location

The location of the boarding schools on your list is essential simply because travel these days is never easy. Review the logistics involved carefully. Ideally, you don't want to be more than a few hours from the school. That may seem unrealistic, but practically speaking, it is not. For example, there are dozens of schools within an hour of Boston's Logan Airport. From there, you can get to many major metropolitan areas in two hours. Incidentally, those New England boarding schools are old hands at transferring students from campus to the airport. Those are precision operations honed over many years so that just about every travel eventuality is thought of. Naturally, cell phones make communications with you waiting anxiously on the other end much more accessible than when my daughters went to boarding school. So draw a circle 60-120 miles out from any major airport. If boarding schools fall within the circle, you should be all set.

2. Academics

Once you have more or less decided where you are looking for schools, then you can begin to get granular with that very important item on

As you begin to refine your boarding school search, you will find yourself circling back to identify the schools that offer the programs your child wants and needs. Don't forget to discuss your wants and needs with your child. She needs to buy into the idea of going off to boarding school. That way, you will end up with a child who is enthusiastic about going to private school and feels involved in the decision-making process. It will be her idea. Choose your time wisely for these essential conversations. Be an active listener. Avoid jumping in as she expresses her thoughts. Choose a relaxed, informal setting for this important conversation. Chatting with your daughter while out shopping or driving around town will be a much less confrontational experience for her than having a formal discussion.

Unlike the limited options you will find in most public schools these days, private schools offer a rich array of programs. Let's look at a few.

Foreign languages

Mandarin, Spanish, French and Italian are the most common languages offered in private schools. You will find these most often at the high school level, but they are increasingly common in the primary grades. If you want to kick it up a notch, several private schools teach everything in French, German, and Hebrew, for example. Review the curriculum section of school websites to determine which language courses they offer. You can find schools quickly by inputting "chinese language" as a search string on this site.

Is online learning not working for you and your son? Are you concerned about his missing out on enrichment and other activities? During these unsettling times when the pandemic keeps reappearing, when you thought it had abated, maybe boarding school is a good education solution for your child. But you will never know until you explore the idea thoroughly. Before beginning your research into boarding schools, tune out the negative things you read about boarding schools. After all, the media tends to focus on sensational stories that don't show boarding schools as they are. See for yourself. A quick call or an email is all it takes to make an appointment for a visit. Cost is another consideration that keeps many parents from considering boarding school education. But boarding school may be more affordable than you think. That's because most schools offer very generous financial aid programs. Any boarding school's admissions staff will be too happy to explain how financial aid works.

Now that those considerations are out of the way, answer these questions to help you make the important decision about sending your child to a residential school.

1. Want to "stretch" your child?

If you are content with the status quo, boarding school is probably not a good idea. Why? Your child will embark on an incredible adventure by going to boarding school. She will be exposed to all kinds of new ideas and different points of view. She can select academic